Category Archives: myspace

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview, myspace

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Tamara Angela Grant, author of The Cooling Board

December 24, 2008 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Tamara Angel Grant, author of The Cooling Board
(Peace in the Storm Publishing)

Only one thing could drag the worldly Jhonnie Bell Devereaux back to her birthplace of Regal City, Louisiana. When she hears news of the impending death of her mother, Jhonnie Bell rushes to her mother’s side. In the process, finds herself getting reacquainted with the small town, rural life on the bayou of the hometown she anxiously left behind years ago.

LuluBell Darling Devereaux’s passing leaves her family without the matriarch they all look to for advice and guidance. Staying true to her role as the family’s glue, Mrs. ‘Bell, even in death, won’t let the grave get in the way of her job of holding her family together. She has left each immediate family member a letter that details her words of wisdom, but with one catch…no one can read her Last Will and Testament until they heed the admonishments from her last words to each of them.

Shock, joy and panic encompass the family’s emotions. But does all hell break loose in the interim? Will Mrs. ‘Bell’s letters bring the family together as she intends or will it push them all further apart?

There’s a thin line between love and hate. Tamara Angela Grant pens an intriguing and heartwarming tale of a family who loves each other despite the fact that they may not always like each other.

Enchanting and enlightening, The Cooling Board is an entertaining and strikingly clever, witty, and honest look at the way a family copes with the devastating loss of a loved one.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Cooling Board?

Tamara Angela Grant: My grandfather passed away at 90 and mom passed away from Leukemia in 2006, six months apart. The way that family reacted to handling the funeral and just dealing with the death of a loved one was amazing to me. Some became territorial. Some began to act like someone owed them something. Some began showing their greed. At any rate, the funeral made some relationships and lack there of apparent. I began talking to people about my experience. It came to light that many people have bizarre or crazy things happen with their families at the death of a loved one, so I decided to write about it.

JP: What is a “cooling board”, and what is its significance to the title of this book?

TAG: A cooling board is the slab that you would be laid out on when you passed away back in the day. Think pre-morgue time in the country or in rural areas where they couldn’t necessarily prepare a body for burial the way you do now. The body was kept on a cooling slab in the barn until the ground unfroze from the winter or until a proper burial could be arranged. The book is about the death of the matriarch in the Darling-Devereaux family. It’s a catchy title that makes you want to know more about the story.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to The Cooling Board getting out to the public?

TAG: I self-published my first book and The Cooling Board has found a home with Peace in the Storm publishing. This time around, I’ll be doing plenty of marketing and have the luxury of having a publishing company have my back and give me a little extra push!

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? What did you learn from the experience of getting Promises Made, Promises Kept finished and published that you implemented when writing The Cooling Board?

TAG: I write as the creativity allows me. When it’s not flowing, it’s not flowing, and I don’t push it. I try to write something daily whether it’s on the laptop or with pen and paper. I’m much more savvy this time around. I’m prepared to set up pre-press for The Cooling Board and begin promoting before the book comes out which is a luxury that I didn’t have when I published Promises Made, Promise Kept.

JP: What’s next for Tamara Angela Grant?

TAG: I’m looking forward to promoting The Cooling Board in 2009 and continuing to build my business Especially Yours Events, which coordinates literary events and provides literary publicist services to new authors. I’m working on some short stories and building the concept for my third book, Charm City.

Website links:

www.tamaraangelagrant.com
www.eventsbyespeciallyyours.com
www.tamaragrant.blogspot.com

Myspace link:

www.myspace.com/maraangel

Awards:

Nomination for Publicist of the Year with AAMBC book club
Nomination for Best Newcomer with Southern Allure book club

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or myspace.com/joeyreviews

This Post is Sponsored by:

Advertise with JoeyPinkney.com for $20 (click here).

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, drugs, interview, myspace, street lit, urban fiction, urban lit

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Tremayne Johnson, author of A Drug Dealer’s Dream

December 12, 2008 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Tremayne “GS” Johnson, author of A Drug Dealer’s Dream
(Strip Kidz Entertainment)

(click on the picture to see reviews of this book on Amazon.com)

Take a walk with one of the most relentless drug kingpins to ever promenade the streets of New York: Ahmed Yung. His father was an old-school gangster, and his mother passed away after giving birth. That left Ahmed to fend for himself. Witnessing his father’s death at the early age of 12, Ahmed made a commitment to become one of the most respected hustlers on earth.

Upon his release from six years of incarceration, Ahmed, 23, is forced to deal with the pressure. His comrades have the game on smash, and they’re just waiting for his return to the streets. Christal and Malique, his girlfriend and son, depend on him to adjust his lifestyle. The choices he contemplates ultimately determine his destiny.

This is the story of almost every hustler who decides to play the game. Mistakes are made, hearts are broken and lives are lost. But one thing is for sure: decisions will have to be made. Strap up for a ride down a path of pain and glory. This is A Drug Dealer’s Dream.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write A Drug Dealer’s Dream?

Tremayne “GS” Johnson: The idea and inspiration for the book came about from life experiences, seeing and being involved in the game first hand. The trials and tribulations of making those decisions I made at a young age had me speeding down a long road to nowhere. Writing has always been a part of my life, whether it was music or just writing down exactly what I felt at that particular moment. I was incarcerated for a couple of years. I figured if I didn’t make use of my time, I’d more than likely be right back in the same position. That’s when I put the pen to the paper and birthed A Drug Dealer’s Dream.

JP: What sets A Drug Dealer’s Dream apart from other novels detailing the pitfalls of drug hustling?

GS: It doesn’t matter if you aspire to be the president, a pro athlete, doctor or hustler, we all, at some point, dream about becoming something. We try to set goals and focus on obtaining them. My book is not only a street tale; it’s a JEWEL to the children of the future letting them know the choices we make dictate our destiny. It sets itself apart from every other novel because the story is told through the characters. It feels as if you’re watching a movie or right in the midst of what takes place.

Question 3: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to A Drug Dealer’s Dream getting out to the public?

GS: I apply my hustle tactics and my drive to push this project to where it needs to be. I’m determined to make a mark in the literary world. I feel like anything I put my mind to gets done. I’m dedicated to my work, and I strive for nothing less than greatness. A Drug Dealer’s Dream will solidify my spot in this game.

Question 4: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish A Drug Dealer’s Dream?

GS: My process is rather odd because I usually come up with an idea, form a plot, map out the main characters and from there, I begin writing. The story forms itself as I go along. Most of the time, I don’t even know what the exact outcome is going to be. I have an idea of what I want it to be, but things always change as the procedure goes forward. I do this so I don’t become bored while writing. It took me about a year and a half to complete A Drug Dealer’s Dream.

Question 5: What’s next for Tremayne Johnson?

GS: Right now, I’m just on my grind pushing A Drug Dealer’s Dream. It’s set to drop in December â€˜08. Since I’m self-publishing, I have to really get out there and make the public notice my work. I’m trying to be everywhere with this. I’m promoting this book as if it were the newest hip-hop album by the best rapper in the game, you know?

Other than that, I’m getting the sequel correct, finishing that up, and working on a few other projects. The world needs to get ready for the new face of urban lit.

Joey, thanks for the luv. I appreciate it. Peace!

Tremayne â€˜GS’ Johnson

For inquiries, please contact:

www.myspace.com/tremaynejohnson1
drugdealersdream@gmail.com
stripkidz@gmail.com

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or http://myspace.com/joeyreviews

This Post is Sponsored by:

Advertise with JoeyPinkney.com (click here).tremayne gs johnson, a drug dealer’s dream,

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, best seller, essence best sellers list, interview, myspace

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… New York Times Best Selling Author Kimberla Lawson Roby, author of Sin No More

November 30, 2008 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
New York Times Best Selling Author Kimberla Lawson Roby, author of Sin No More
(William Morrow)

(click on the pictures to see this book on Amazon.com)

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Sin No More?

Kimbery Lawson Roby: Sin No More is actually the fifth title in my Reverend Curtis Black series, which centers on problems and corruption within the church. I was inspired to write about this issue because of so much that I’ve seen and heard about for a great number of years.

JP: What sets Sin No More apart from other novels in its genre?

KLR: Sin No More focuses on reality—not any specific real-life issues—but it does focus on what can and does happen on a daily basis throughout this country. I don’t try to sugarcoat anything that I write, and more important, I try my best to show what happens when we don’t follow God’s Word or treat people the way we want to be treated.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Sin No More getting out to the public?

KLR: The two most important things are writing and building a marketing/publicity plan and making sure to interact personally with your readers on a regular basis, both by email and at speaking and book signing events all year long.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Sin No More?

KLR: Once I decide which topic I’m going to center my story on, I create all of my characters and then outline the entire novel. After that, I write a minimum of one or two chapters per day until the first draft is finished. Then, I revise and edit. The entire process from start to finish normally takes me about three months.

JP: What’s next for Kimberla Lawson Roby?

KLR: I released a novella entitled One in a Million this past June and my twelfth book, The Best of Everything, will be released on January 13, 2009. Currently, I’m working on a second novella for the fall of 2009.

www.kimroby.com
www.myspace.com/kimberlalawsonroby

Kimberla would love to hear from you at: kim@kimroby.com.

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or myspace.com/joeyreviews

your favorite book reviewer's favorite book reviewer… period!